Resource Recovery
Council considers resource recovery an essential part of managing its landfill sites, helping to ensure the longevity of these valuable community assets.
By retrieving any materials that can be reused, recycled or reprocessed, we can help minimise the amount of rubbish being buried in landfill.
Products for sale
We have a range of premium products available for sale from the Tamworth Waste Management Facility:
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Composted Soil Conditioner
Blend with or dig into existing top-soil to depth of at least 5cm
$80 per tonne
1t = approx. 1.4m3
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Composted Mulch
Apply to surface 5-10cm thick and pull back from plant stems
$56 per tonne
1t = approx 2.2m3
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Course Wood Mulch
Apply to surface 5-10cm thick and pull back from plant stems
$80 per tonne
1t = approx 2.6m3
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Blended road base
Crushed construction and demolition material
$26 per tonne
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For commercial quantity purchases of compost or mulch products, Renew Organics directly for product availability and pricing on 0427 436 885.
Greenwaste Separation
The Tamworth Waste Management Facility on Forest Road has introduced greenwaste separation to their process to comply with NSW EPA organic diversion requirements and to better manage weeds and invasive species in the Tamworth region.
Separating your greenwaste will allow our staff to manage any weeds or invasive species that come onsite to be processed. This will result in the production of a higher quality mulch that will meet Australian Standards.
How to separate your greenwaste for the tip
There are three (3) categories to sort greenwaste into:
- Grass clippings and weeds/invasive species plants
- Tree and shrub clippings
- Large stumps
There are separate drop-off bays for each of the greenwaste categories.
A handy tip is to assess your load before disposal. Separate your greenwaste into the appropriate categories and stack your load accordingly for easy disposal.
What to look for at the tip
The following signs for the three (3) categories are on display at the tip:
What happens to your greenwaste?
Greenwaste taken to landfill is processed into mulch through the following process:
- Staff manually sort through the greenwaste to remove any weeds or invasive species.
- Greenwaste is loaded into a shredding machine where it is ground up into smaller pieces.
- The shredded greenwaste is pushed into windrows (long triangle shaped mounts).
- Windrows are irrigated until they reach the right temperature. The temperature is measured by the computerised mulch management system using a long probe to test moisture and temperature. The water used is rainwater run off from the site that has been captured in onsite storage dams.
- Windrows are turned three (3) to four (4) times when they reach the right temperature over a three (3) to four (4) month period depending on the season. Turning the piles helps to increase the oxygen and improve the natural biological breakdown processes during processing.
- Once the greenwaste has broken down to a certain level, the windrows are loaded into a trommel screen machine that sorts the broken down material into a fine and coarse product.
- The fine product is ready for customers to purchase and the coarse product is mixed back in to new windrows to go through the breakdown process again.
FAQ's
Why do weeds need to be separated from greenwaste before it is taken to the Tamworth Waste Management Facility?
Weeds need to be separated from greenwaste for the following reasons:
- to comply with NSW EPA organic diversion requirements
- to manage weeds and invasive species more effectively when they are recieved onsite
- to manage weeds and invasive species more effectively while they're processed
- to allow for necessary operational changes to the processing and management of greenwaste onsite
- to produce a better quality mulch product that meets the Australian Mulch Standard
- to improve the management and recovery of contamination being received in greenwaste currenlty being experienced
- to assist with education of weeds or invasive species Bio Security obligations in the Tamworth region.
Can residents still put weeds in their green lid bin?
Yes, residents can still put greenwaste into their green lid bin. These changes only apply if you plan to self-haul greenwaste to the landfill.
What happens to the weeds or invasive species when they go to landfill?
Weeds and invasive are manually sorted from the three (3) categories (mostly from the grass clippings and weeds).
Weeds and invasive species like cacti varieties and prickly pear are taken out and put into landfill. Some weeds and invasive species need to be treated differently to others to make sure they breakdown properly. Oleander, and plants that are in contact with it, take longer to breakdown due to the acids in it.
Most weeds and invasive species are able to breakdown following the regular treatment process.
Do you get fined if you don't separate your weeds?
No, residents won't get fined if they don't separate their greenwaste. Residents may be reminded by staff that there are changes at landfill and that they are required to separate their greenwaste into the following categories:
- Grass clippings and weeds/invasive species plants
- Tree and shrub clippings
- Large stumps
Will someone be available to help identify weeds at the landfill?
Council staff in the greenwaste disposal area will not be able to assist with weed identification onsite.
It is suggested that residents assess their greenwaste prior to loading their vehicle or trailer and refer to Council's list of Weeds and Invasive Species (PDF 1.4MB) common to the Tamworth area.
I don't know how to identify a weed, how do I do this?
Council has identified some common Weeds and Invasive Species (PDF 1.4MB) that can be found in the Tamworth Regional Council area.
There are various resources available that can be used to identify weeds or invasive species. A list of resources is listed below:
Community Recycling Centre
The Community Recycling Centre is located at the Tamworth Forest Road Waste Management Centre.
Residents can dispose of a number of household items including gas bottles, fire extinguishers, vehicle batteries, household dry cell batteries, fluorescent tubes or globes, E-Waste, Used motor oil, Paint, other oils, smoke detectors, x-rays, ink cartridges and mobile phones free of charge all year round at the Community Recycling Centre.
Click here to find out more
You can also dispose of the following items which will be recycled or repurposed:
Tyres
Tyres are not buried in the landfill. They are stockpiled on site until there are sufficient numbers to be collected and taken to a tyre processing facility. The steel belt is removed (which is recycled) and the rubber is shredded and recycled.
Items that are made from recycled tyres include playground soft fall and rubber absorption mats (eg. used at checkouts for operators to stand on).
All customers are subject to fees and charges for disposal.
Metal Waste
Metal is stockpiled on site until there is a sufficient stockpile to be collected and taken to a metal processing facility.
Metal can be turned back into beams, roofing iron etc. Metal waste can be recycled over and over again.
Fridges, freezers and air conditioners
Tamworth Regional Council residents can dispose of only 1 x item containing refrigerant gas (fridges, freezers or air conditioners) per visit to the waste management centres. The units do not need to be degassed prior to disposal. Charges apply for business and commercial operators disposing of these items.
Concrete
Clean Concrete is stock piled on site until there is enough material for processing. This material is turned into road base and drainage gravel.
Processed concrete that is turned into road base has been used in the construction of some roads by Council even the road to the Forest Road Small Vehicle Transfer Station.
General household recyclable items
Tamworth Regional Council encourages residents to recycle household items such as:
- paper
- flattened cardboard
- empty plastic containers from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry with the recycling triangle 1 to 5
- empty glass food and beverage jars
- empty aerosol cans
- empty tin cans
- empty aluminium cans
However, these items must be deposited in the appropriate areas at Challenge Recycling, located on the left as you enter the landfill gate.
Mattresses
Tamworth Regional Council keeps mattresses out of landfill when residents bring them to site and they are then sent to a recycling processor to break the mattress down in to its base elements such as metal, timber, textiles and foam.
Residents are permitted to bring in 1 x mattress (regardless of the size) per waste voucher. Any additional mattresses in the same load will be charged at the appropriate current fee and charges applicable.
Business and commercial customers are subject to fees and charges for disposal of mattresses.
Prepare for your visit to any of our Waste & Resource Recovery Facilities
• Separate the items you no longer want by resource type that will speed your visit up
• Items to prepare it to be recovered for recycling or reprocessing or resale through Waste No More
o Metal
o Household batteries
o Car batteries
o Paint
o Gas bottles
o Cooking oil
o Motor oil
o Fluro tubes
o X-rays
o Smoke detectors
o Mobile Phones
o Power cables and leads
o E-Waste – TV, Computers, printers and peripherals
o Furniture items that are not broken or damaged and considered suitable by staff for resale at Waste No More
o Plastics – Curby drop off
o Clean brick (no plastics or metal or timber)
o Clean tile (no plastics or timber)
o Clean concrete (no metal or plastic)
o Greenwaste
o Tyres
o Fridge, freezer or air conditioner